


Home Is Where Pack Is

by Strawberry_Sweetheart



Series: A/B/O World Building [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alpha Billy, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Max basically sees Steve and Billy as a married couple already, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Non-sexual heats, Omega Max, Omega Steve, Pack Bonding, Susan adores steve, because who doesnt, billy and max are on good terms, she practically accepts him as a son-in-law, sibling bonding cuz they deserve to be happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:13:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22343152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strawberry_Sweetheart/pseuds/Strawberry_Sweetheart
Summary: “Jesus fucking Christ, kid.”Billy mumbled around a cigarette. He’d receive a call from Steve, sounding worried as he rambled on. He was able to make out the words: Max, sick, arcade. The ride over was awkward with an insistent Susan riding in the passenger seat, but now he was glad she insisted. He didn’t expect to walk into the place with Steve’s kid, the loud one, struggling to hold back Max from a kid clutching his bleeding nose.--This is a requested fic and takes place after the previous fic ("Puppy Pile") of this series Can be read as a solo fic tho
Relationships: Billy Hargrove & Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Billy Hargrove & Maxine "Max" Mayfield & Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Dustin Henderson/Maxine "Max" Mayfield
Series: A/B/O World Building [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1608313
Comments: 11
Kudos: 401





	Home Is Where Pack Is

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Pandaruler1897](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandaruler1897/gifts).



> quick notes:  
> -I wanted to take this opportunity to explore the sort of reactions an Omega would have when left in unsafe situation when approaching heat, if you guys read the previous fic then youll know Steve was helped by Billy and Max before completely losing it 
> 
> -Most people liked my interpretaion on a/b/o and heats so i took this as the chance to expand on that and test out some ideas
> 
> -Pandaruler1897 requested dustin and max, max presenting as an omega, and billy and steve helping her build her nest. So i hope this satisfies <3

_Game Over_

“Max, what the hell is wrong with you today?”

“Maybe it’s because you wont stop screaming in my ear, Dustin.” She practically growled, swiping at the sweat that dripped down her forehead and collected by her brows. She tugged at her collar that felt tight around her neck and too warm.

“H-Hey… are you sure you’re okay? You’re all red and — ,” Dustin gestured towards her face that no doubt had a sheen of sweat, “ — maybe you’re getting a fever, maybe we should go home early —”

“Christ. I’m fine.” Dustin had a habit of hovering, almost. Always trying to make sure everyone was okay, worrying over the tiniest of things. It was a bit endearing, a bit annoying. It reminded her Steve in a way. But a bit more _loud_. She pulled off her sweater and tied it around her waist. “C’mon, I gotta be the high score before I go home.”

\---

Something wasn’t right.

The screen flashed with a familiar tune of doom, the text _Game Over_ flickered in red. Max shut her eyes tight, her head throbbing with from the onslaught of bright colors and people laughing and yelling at their games — why are they being so loud.

“Max?” Dustin’s voice was the clearest among the chaos of sounds. It was as if it soothed the ache and she latched onto it, desperate for an anchor. 

She grabbed at the consol infront of her until the edge of the control panel dug into her hand and her knuckles turned white. She’d be okay, if she just closed her eyes for a bit the headache will go away. 

“Max, you’re scaring me.. I’m going to go call someone. Just, stay here I’ll be right back.” 

With Dustin left the only becon of familiarity, of pack, and she was left alone. She couldn't be alone, not right now, not in the open. Not when the stench of spilled Cola on the carpet crept up her nose and threatened to make her gag. 

Rancid. 

“Are you, like, done?” Came an entitled voice to her left. She didn’t know how long she’d been standing there, probably for an eternity. She creaked open one of her eyes, squinting against the light and trying to look beyond her unruly hair that fell in front of her face, to stare the pudgy boy that stood beside her, too close. “Hello?” He waved his hands in front of her face, the rapid moving snapping her spin straight, and without a second thought, she bared her teeth and let out a rumbling growl. 

The kid backed away a few steps, clearly confused, but it did nothing to calm her nerves. He stood in the way between her and the door. He went down easy.

“Holy shit — Max!”

Dustin.

Dustin’s arms were around her waist tugging and pulling her off from the unknown boy that yelped under her. Still, she kicked and snapped her teeth, trying to swing at him even when he was out of range. 

\---

“Jesus fucking Christ, kid.” 

Billy mumbled around a cigarette. He’d receive a call from Steve, sounding worried as he rambled on. He was able to make out the words: Max, sick, arcade. The ride over was awkward with an insistent Susan riding in the passenger seat, but now he was glad she insisted. He didn’t expect to walk into the place with Steve’s kid, the loud one, struggling to hold back Max from a kid clutching his bleeding nose.

They were lucky the kid didn’t call his mom or anything, probably too ashamed to say he got beaten up by a girl. 

“It’s okay, I’ll make you something to eat and you can rest up while I go get some things from the store.” Susan fretted over her daughter once they got into the driveway, pressing her palms against Max’s cheeks. 

“I’m not going in.” 

Susan’s confusion was prominent and Billy could feel the beginnings of a headache.

“I — can’t. It…” Max struggled to explain. How do you explain that the house you live in doesn’t feel like home. Doesn’t feel safe.

“Max —” Susan began, furrowing her brows. She was a beta. Billy supposed it wasn’t her fault that she didn’t understand.

“Susan,” Billy stubbed the cigarette under her toe, “It’s Neil. The whole fucking place smells like him.” 

Like aggression. Claiming. Territorial. 

It never smelled like pack or anyone else other than _Neil_. The one time Billy had Steve over, a weekend when Neil worked overtime, Steve had been distressed since the moment he stepped foot in the house, standing close to Billy and filled with paranoia. 

_Felt like I was intruding,_ he said, _Like I wasn’t allowed to be here._

“I want to go to Steve’s.”

\---

Getting Susan to agree to that was a bitch and a half.

“I get it though,” Steve sorted through his cabinets, adding onto the growing pile of food in his arms, “This is a huge change and she wants to be there for Max. She must feel like… like it should be her job to there for her daughter, but she doesn’t know how. Ya know? Must feel like she failed at her somehow.”

Billy felt his irritation simmer down. He hated when Steve went and got all rational on him. He was his little drop of reason and Billy didn’t know how he made it this far without him. Then again, Steve was the reason Susan agreed to let Max spend her heat at his house. Susan loves Steve. And it was vital that Max be around an Omega during this time.

“She doesn’t like sour stuff.” 

Oh yeah, the only thing was that Billy didn’t expect Steve’s kid to be here. 

Dustin picked from the pile in Steve’s arms, weeding out foods that he felt were inadequate. 

“Listen kid, why don’t you go help Max build a nest.”

“No way! I tried helping her and just, snapped at me. I’m not going in there alone.” He squawked when Steve dubbed the food pile in his arms.

“It’s her first time, dipshit. She’s gonna be frustrated. Take this shit and dump it on the couch, I’ll go get some stuff from the closet.”

The living room was a chaotic mess and at the center was Max, tossing throw pillows about and making chattering noises between clenched teeth. 

“This isn’t working.” 

“I think it looks fine!” Dustin dumped the snacks in the corner of the couch, not knowing what Max was so upset about, and getting increasingly more upset at his words. 

Steve peered at the pile of multi-textured pillows and blankets on the floor, running his hands over on of the throw pillows. “I don’t like these pillows either. They’re filled with goose feathers and sometimes it’s just,” he picked at a feather that poked through one of the pillows and pulled it out, “uncomfortable. Why don’t you try feeling the fabrics first and pick out a texture that you like most. I usually use cotton, but Carol favored satin. Don’t worry about getting it done quickly, just try to figure out what makes you feel more comfortable.”

“You should tell her about your first time building a nest.” Billy’s smile was one that bred mischief. 

Dustin looked at Steve with an offended look, “Why does he know things that I don’t?”

“ _Because it’s not something I just tell people. In fact, Billy wasn’t ever supposed to bring it up at all.”_ He gave Billy a stink eye, looking just as betrayed as Dustin did, but soften at Max’s inquisitive chirp. 

“It’s just...My parents were out for dinner and I didn’t call because, like, it wasn’t that big of a deal and they were gonna be home in like, a couple of hours so… I built a nest. On my own. But it was cold so I lit the fireplace and made my nest close to it and —”

“Steve, you didn’t…” Dustin stared wide eyed at Steve’s brilliant idiocy as he accepted random articles of rejected blankets that Max tossed at him. 

“I did. But in my defense I wasn’t thinking clearly. I set the house partially on fire and the firefighters came. It was embarrassing. Took at least three months for my parents to renovate the living room after that.”

\---

By the time the nest was done, Max’s hair stood up every which way with static from rubbing her head on each blanket and testing out the softness. She was content. The blankets that Steve provided already smelled like pack from being used over and over again. Dustin had run from and to the supply closet, folding up the rejects and pulling out suggestions. He must have made 10 trips and she made a mental note to thank him after.  
She peered down at the finished product with her hands on her hips. It was different from Steve’s. Steve liked to use cotton soft blankets in tones of pale blues and white. His were always round and humongous, probably keeping in mind the size of his pack, but hers was different. It was more squarish in shape with bold clashing colors and knitted textures. There were a lot of loose ends and weak spots that threatened to separate, but it was hers and she liked it.

They all sat for a bit while watching ‘I Love Lucy' reruns. She picked at her slowly melting ice cream while half heartedly paying attention to Dusin and Billy argue back and forth. Growing up, she always thought she’d be an Alpha, like Billy. They were always so similar, right from the start. A bit stubborn and bullheaded, she’ll admit. A bit too quick to start fights and spew acidic words. 

But. 

She can’t say she hates the outcome. Not with Steve offering his home for her use and Billy’s unusual patience at her snappy mood. Not with the way Dustin practically tripped over his feet to help, pulling her out of that fight. Still, she worried. She was the first to present from their group, she worried what the others would think, if they would treat her differently. But that was a topic for another time, maybe for tomorrow. 

Today, though, she hugged Dustin when he had to leave home and opened a pack of Oreos, absentmindedly nodding to Steve saying that her mom would drop by for a bit. She was thankful to have her mom over for a bit, even if it made her nervous to think if her mom would like her nest, the same feeling he had when presenting a less than stellar report card. Still, her mom coming over was something to distract from the gross way Billy looked at Steve like some sort of love struck fool. The way his voice went all stupid when talking to Steve. It was ridiculous.

She hoped Billy kept him. 

She wouldn’t know what she would do if they split up; she’d come to love them both dearly — not that she’d admit it. They were pack. _God, what her mom would do._ Susan and Billy never saw eye to eye most of time, but, like Max, she’d gotten attached to Steve. Enough that she just handed over her top-secret recipe for raspberry shortcakes to him, she’s never done that before. 

There was a knock at the door, no doubt her mom, and before Steve could get up, Billy pushed him back down with a quick, “I’ll get it,” leaving his plate of chocolate cake unattended. She bit at her fork and worried her lip only to snap out of her thoughts by Steve nudging her shoulder. 

“You did a great job, better than my first try.” 

“I’m pretty sure everyone’s first try was better than yours,” She teased and stabbed her fork into Billy's unfinished cake.

“I’m going to kill Billy.”


End file.
